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Disability Insurance

We believe that illness or injury should not prevent you from providing for your family. Our plans replace your income and enable you to return to work when you are ready, not just because you need the income.

 

Disability Insurance

DISABILITY INSURANCE

Disability insurance is a type of insurance policy that provides financial protection in case of unexpected illness or injury that renders a person unable to work. This coverage can help replace lost income and provide financial stability during a time when the person is unable to work due to a disability.

There are two main types of disability insurance policies: short-term disability insurance and long-term disability insurance. Short-term disability insurance provides coverage for a temporary disability, typically for a period of up to six months, whereas long-term disability insurance provides coverage for an extended period of time, usually until the person is able to return to work or reaches retirement age.

Disability insurance policies can be offered by employers as a part of their employee benefits package, or individuals can purchase their own policies. The coverage and benefits of disability insurance policies vary depending on the specific policy and provider. Some policies offer additional features such as cost-of-living adjustments or future purchase options, which allow policyholders to increase their coverage as their income increases.

Overall, disability insurance is an important financial tool for anyone who relies on their income to maintain their standard of living. This coverage can provide crucial financial protection in case of unexpected illness or injury, giving policyholders peace of mind and financial stability during a difficult time.

BUSINESS OVERHEAD EXPENSE

Business Overhead Expense (BOE) Insurance is a type of insurance policy designed to help cover the ongoing expenses of a business in the event that the owner becomes disabled and is unable to work. This coverage can provide protection for expenses such as rent, utilities, salaries, and other necessary business expenses.

BOE Insurance is important for small business owners who rely heavily on their income to maintain their business operations. This coverage can help ensure that the business can continue to operate while the owner focuses on their recovery, without worrying about the potential financial impact of their disability.

BOE Insurance policies typically provide coverage for a specific period, such as 12 or 24 months, and the policy may include additional coverage options such as a waiting period, elimination period, and coverage limits. Business owners should carefully consider the terms and conditions of the policy, as well as the cost, to determine if it is the right fit for their business needs.

In summary, Business Overhead Expense Insurance is an important financial tool for small business owners to ensure that their business operations can continue in case of unexpected disability. It provides peace of mind that, in the event of a disability, their business can continue to operate while they focus on their recovery.

KEY PERSON

A key person is an asset to a company, but their sudden absence due to unforeseen circumstances like death, disability, or illness can severely impact operations and finances. Key person insurance compensates for financial losses incurred due to the loss of a key employee, covering costs like finding a replacement or loss of revenue. It’s an essential risk management tool that provides financial stability and ensures business continuity, helping businesses thrive even in unexpected events.

BUY/SELL

Buy-Sell Disability Insurance is an important type of insurance policy designed to protect the ownership structure of a business in case one of the owners becomes disabled and is unable to work. This coverage is essential for businesses that rely on the expertise and contributions of their owners to operate successfully.

Drawbacks of Group Disability Insurance vs. Individual Disability Insurance

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Portability

Group insurance is not portable because you do not own the coverage. When you leave the employer or association which provides the group coverage, the coverage terminates.

Individual policies stay in force regardless of your employer because you own the coverage with the insurer. If you decide to wait to get an individual policy until when you leave your group benefits, will you qualify medically or lifestyle-wise at that time? Will you be in the same good health you are in now and will your family history (parents and siblings) be in good health too?

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Definition

Group long-term disability (LTD) insurance generally has a narrower and more limited definition of disability. Group coverage often may define disability as the inability to work in the same occupation for the first two years (“own occ”) and thereafter the inability to work in any reasonable occupation (“any occ”). The disability must then be so severe to prevent the claimant from working a cash register or as a greeter at Walmart, for example. Individual professional policies provide a much more liberal definition of disability. These “own occ” individual policies trigger insurance payments if you cannot work in your occupation, even if you are working in another occupation. And without “own occ” on your individually owned plan, you are covered under “regular occ”, which means that if you cannot work in your occupation and choose to not work in another one, then you remain on claim, which is still much better than the “any occ” definition.

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Limitations

Group LTD will also often require you to make a claim on Total Disability before you are able to make a claim on Partial Disability. Total, partial, residual, and presumptive definitions of disability are often all included in an individual professional plan, making it a much more seamless process should a claim occur.

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COLA Option

Individual LTD insurance allows for a cost of living adjustment (COLA) as an optional rider whereas group LTD does not. The adjustment does cost extra but may be a valuable feature for individuals worried about the impact of inflation on future benefits. The COLA is typically adjusted according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) of Canada with a minimum of 2% up to a maximum of 10%, compounded annually.

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Renewability

Group plans can be cancelled or worsened by your employer or by the insurance carrier at any time or rates can be increased across all participants. Alternatively, individual policies provide the option for guaranteed pricing and definitions within the contract (“non- cancelable”) where the insurer cannot change the premiums. You, as the client may cancel or change your plan to remove items at any time. However, the insurance company cannot.

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Offsets

Group LTD payouts are generally reduced (offset) by related payments from workers’ compensation and government disability payments. This is not true for all individual policies. If you get an individual professional plan in place before you work for your employer and are covered under their group LTD, your individual policy is first payor and has better definitions of disability. It will pay out to you, if you make a claim. It also has a feature, called the Future Income Option (FIO), which will allow you to increase your monthly benefit amount, should your Group LTD ever change, be taken away, or if you leave your employer down the road. This locks in your future insurability, in case your health or that of your immediate family were to change, or should you begin doing risky activities (rock climbing, back country excursions, piloting a plane, racing bikes, etc. To increase your monthly benefit amount, you do not need to qualify medically, but rather financially – showing proof of your earned income to justify the increase. Therefore, it is valuable to get a small individually owned plan in place, even if you will be covered by your employer.

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Advocacy

Dan and I pride ourselves on assisting our clients, should you need assistance come claim time. We are able to advocate on your behalf with the adjudicator. This is not the case with Group LTD.